Tales and fleeting memories of my liver journey unabashed

Post Transplant Recipes…Yum!

So Saturday’s I’ve decided are “happy liver-kidney-heart” recipe days. I follow a super crazy diet…or at least most days I follow it 🙂 So I’m technically on a low-sodium, low-fat, medium-carb, medium protein diet with nothing raw, cooked outside, generally washed under my supervision thoroughly cooked diet. And when my kidney’s get to crazy, which is still every other week, I can’t exceed 2g of Potassium a day. So all that, plus generally no restaurants and NO buffets lol….most of this is because my kidney’s never recovered all the way and won’t. My GFR hovers around 34 and I’m in Chronic Kidney Disease stage 3.

SO LET’S COOK! For my first round of these we (Chef Sean…yea he’s a professional chef) and I are “poaching” off of Pinterest and other avenues. After this week i’ll have actual photos of me attempting these haha. I’ll try to let people know when certain ingredients are expensive and provide awesome substitutes. But ultimately have fun with it, the awesomeness of cooking is that it’s not set in stone. Also I’ll be posting these on Saturday in case anyone needs a last minute Sunday Brunch dish or to start their week off amazing….So here we go 🙂

DirectionsFor the poached salmon:
1. Measure 3 inches of water into a wide­ rimmed saucepan. 2. Add 1½ teaspoons salt and 3 tablespoons wine vinegar for every quart of water. Bring to a boil.
3. Add the salmon. Bring to just below a simmer and cook for about 6 minutes until done. According to Julia Child “Fish is done when the flesh has turned from translucent to opaque and, rather than feeling squashy to the touch like raw fish, it feels lightly springy. It should still be juicy. Fish that is resistant and flaky is overdone ­ too bad!”
4. Remove the salmon with a slotted spatula and transfer to a paper towel ­lined plate to absorb the extra water.
5. Transfer to a serving platter or plates and serve with the cucumber sauce.

For the cucumber sauce:
1. Put the cucumber in a bowl and toss with the salt, sugar, and vinegar.
2. Let stand for about 5 minutes, then mix in the sour cream.
3. Season to taste and fold in the dill. (May be made a few hours in advance and refrigerated)

Preparation:
1. Bring 5 cups water to a boil. Stir in rice, then reduce heat so liquid is just simmering. Cover and cook until grains just begin to pop, about 40 minutes. Drain excess liquid from rice and set aside.
2. Meanwhile, melt 4 tablespoons butter in a large skillet over medium-high heat. 3. 3. Add half the mushrooms and cook, stirring occasionally, until they have released their liquid and are golden brown, about 8 minutes; remove to a plate. Repeat with remaining butter and mushrooms.
4. Return all the mushrooms to the skillet and season with the salt and pepper, to taste. Very carefully add sherry to deglaze the pan, and cook until most of the liquid has evaporated but mushrooms are still moist.
5. Mix mushrooms into prepared rice and season again with salt and pepper.

Directions:
1. In a large skillet, arrange carrots and garlic in a single layer and cover with water. 2. 2. Season generously with salt. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat and simmer, covered, until tender, about 10 minutes.
3. Remove carrots and garlic with a slotted spoon and set aside. Drain water and wipe out pan. Heat to medium high. 4. Add oil, honey, chile, rosemary, and 1 tablespoon water and cook until bubbling. 5. Add carrots and garlic and cook, stirring, until coated and slightly caramelized, about 5 minutes. Season with salt.